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Browse 25 rules and proposed rules from the Federal Register.
25
Total Regulations
Showing 1–25 of 25
NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Department of the Navy (Navy) for Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) and an associated Letter of Authorization (LOA) pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take of marine mammals incidental to training and testing activities using Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar systems in the western and central North Pacific and eastern Indian oceans over the course of 7 years from August 2026 through August 2033. NMFS requests comments on this proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested ITR and issuance of the LOA; agency responses to public comments will be summarized in the final rule, if issued. The Navy's activities are considered military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (2004 NDAA) and the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2019 (2019 NDAA).
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, received a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 from the Alaska Oil and Gas Association to issue regulations facilitating the authorization of incidental, unintentional take of small numbers of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) during year-round oil and gas industry activities in the Beaufort Sea (Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf) and adjacent northern coast of Alaska. Take may result from oil and gas exploration, development, production, and transportation activities occurring for a period of 5 years. Oil and gas industry operations include similar types of activities covered by the previous 5-year Beaufort Sea incidental take regulations effective from August 5, 2021, through August 5, 2026. If this rule is finalized, we may issue letters of authorization, upon request, for specific proposed activities in accordance with this proposed regulation. We are proposing that this rule, if finalized, will be for 5 years. We intend that any final action resulting from this proposed rule will be as accurate and effective as possible. Therefore, we request comments or suggestions on these proposed regulations and the accompanying draft environmental assessment from the public, Tribes, and local, State, and Federal agencies.
NMFS has received a request for the reimplementation of incidental take regulations (ITR) governing the incidental taking of marine mammals during geophysical survey activity conducted in the Gulf of America (GOA). Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposed rule and will consider public comments relevant to this proposed rule prior to issuing any final rule.
NMFS, upon request from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp), issues this final rule pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to specified activities conducted in support of oil and gas exploration, development, production, and decommissioning in Cook Inlet, Alaska, over the course of 5 years (2026-2031) and an associated letter of authorization (LOA). Together, the final rule and LOA allow for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described specified activities and timeframes, prescribes the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species and their habitat, and establishes requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.
NMFS has received a request from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp) for promulgation of incidental take regulations (ITR) and issuance of an associated Letter of Authorization (LOA) that would authorize continued take of marine mammals over 5 years (2026-2031) incidental to the construction, maintenance and use of sea ice roads, trails and adjacent ice pads after the expiration of the existing ITR and LOA. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is proposing regulations setting forth permissible methods of taking, other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on such marine mammal stocks (i.e., mitigation measures), and requirements pertaining to monitoring and reporting takes and requests comments on the proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested ITR and issuance of the LOA; agency responses to public comments will be summarized in the final rule, if promulgated.
NMFS is taking a deregulatory action to revise the regulations implementing the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan (HPTRP) to ensure the HPTRP is consistent with a gillnet gear requirement previously put in place under the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan to reduce bycatch of Atlantic sturgeon. This action is necessary to inform the public about an amendment to the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan altering the minimum twine size requirement to ensure that fishermen may use the low-profile gillnet gear required by the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan and also be in compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act while fishing in the New Jersey Atlantic Sturgeon Bycatch Reduction Area.
NMFS, upon request from the U.S. Department of the Navy (including the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps (Navy)) and on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard) and U.S. Army (Army; hereafter, Navy, Coast Guard, and Army are collectively referred to as Action Proponents), issues these regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to training and testing activities and modernization and sustainment of ranges conducted in the Hawaii-California Training and Testing (HCTT) Study Area over the course of 7 years from December 2025 through December 2032. These regulations allow for the issuance of letters of authorization (LOAs) for the incidental take of marine mammals during specified activities and timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species and their habitat, and establish requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. The Action Proponents' activities are considered military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (2004 NDAA) and the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2019 (2019 NDAA).
NMFS, upon request from 8 Star Alaska, LLC (8 Star Alaska), which is jointly owned by Glenfarne and Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC), is promulgating regulations to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project in Cook Inlet, Alaska, over the course of 5 years. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the specified activities in the specified geographical region during the effective dates of the regulations, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.
NMFS, upon request from the U.S. Department of the Navy (including the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps (Navy)) and on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard; hereafter, Navy and Coast Guard are collectively referred to as Action Proponents), issues these regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to training and testing activities conducted in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area over the course of 7 years from November 2025 through November 2032. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of letters of authorization (LOAs) for the incidental take of marine mammals during specified activities and timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species and their habitat, and establish requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. The Action Proponents' activities are considered military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (2004 NDAA) and the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2019 (2019 NDAA).
Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBRP) applied for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project (IBR) on Interstate 5 (I-5) between Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington over the course of 5 years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is proposing regulations setting forth permissible methods of taking, other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on such marine mammal stocks (i.e., mitigation measures), and requirements pertaining to monitoring and reporting such takes and requests comments on the proposed regulations. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested MMPA regulations, and NMFS's responses to public comments will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.
NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for incidental take regulations (ITR) and a Letter of Authorization (LOA) pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take of small numbers of marine mammals over 5 years (2026-2031) incidental to the Duckabush Estuary Restoration Project (DERP) in Hood Canal, Washington. NMFS requests public comments and will consider them prior to making any final decision on the requested ITR and issuance of the LOA; agency responses to comments will be summarized in the final rule, if issued.
NMFS has received a request from 8 Star Alaska, LLC (8 Star Alaska), a subsidiary of Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC), for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project in Cook Inlet, Alaska, over the course of 5 years (2026-2030). Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS proposes regulations setting forth permissible methods of taking, other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on such marine mammal stocks (i.e., mitigation measures), and requirements pertaining to monitoring and reporting such takes, and requests comments on the proposed regulations. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested MMPA regulations, and NMFS' responses to public comments will be summarized in the final notification of our decision.
NMFS has received a request from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp) for regulations allowing for the take of marine mammals incidental to activities conducted in support of oil and gas exploration, development, production, and decommissioning in Cook Inlet, Alaska, over the course of 5 years (2025-2030). As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is proposing regulations to govern the requested take, and requests comments on the proposed regulations. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the requested MMPA regulations. Agency responses to received comments will be summarized in the final rule, if issued.
NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Department of the Navy (including the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps) (Navy) and on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard) and U.S. Army (Army) (hereafter, Navy, Coast Guard, and Army are collectively referred to as the Action Proponents) for Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) and multiple associated Letters of Authorization (LOAs) pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take of marine mammals incidental to training and testing activities, and modernization and sustainment of ranges conducted in the Hawaii-California Training and Testing (HCTT) Study Area over the course of seven years from December 2025 through December 2032. NMFS requests comments on this proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested ITR and issuance of the LOAs; agency responses to public comments will be summarized in the final rule, if issued. The Action Proponents' activities are considered military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (2004 NDAA) and the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2019 (2019 NDAA).
NMFS, upon request from the Don Young Port of Alaska (POA), hereby promulgates regulations to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to the Cargo Terminals Replacement (CTR) project at the existing port facility in Anchorage, Alaska over the course of 5 years. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the specified activities in the specified geographical region (see Description of the Specified Activities section) during the effective dates of the regulations, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are revising a portion of our regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act pertaining to incidental take of marine mammals. These regulations, codified at 50 CFR part 18, subpart J, authorize the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take by harassment of small numbers of polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea stock and Pacific walruses during year-round oil and gas industry activities in the Beaufort Sea (Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf) and adjacent northern coast of Alaska. Such take may result from oil and gas exploration, development, production, and transportation activities occurring through August 5, 2026. The revisions made by this final rule authorize incidental Level A harassment of polar bears in addition to the incidental Level B harassment of polar bears and Pacific walruses already authorized. No lethal take is authorized under this rule.
NMFS, upon request from the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC), hereby issues regulations to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to rocky intertidal monitoring surveys along the Oregon and California coasts over the course of 5 years (2025-2030). These regulations, which allow for the issuance of a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described activities and specified timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended, from the U.S. Coast Guard, propose to issue regulations for the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take by harassment of small numbers of Southcentral Alaska, Southeast Alaska, and Southwest Alaska stocks of northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) during pile driving and marine construction activities in Seward, Sitka, and Kodiak, Alaska. Incidental take of northern sea otters may result from in-water noise generated during pile driving and marine construction activities occurring for a period up to 5 years. This proposed rule would authorize take by harassment only, and no lethal take would be authorized. If this rule is finalized, we will issue letters of authorization for the incidental take of northern sea otters, upon request, for specific activities in accordance with the final rule for a period up to 5 years. We request comments on these proposed regulations.
NMFS' Office of Protected Resources (OPR), upon request from NMFS' Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), hereby issues regulations to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to fisheries research conducted in multiple specified geographical regions over the course of 5 years. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of Letters of Authorization (LOAs) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described activities and specified timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. Upon publication of this final rule, NMFS will issue an LOA to PIFSC for the effective period of the final rule.
NMFS, upon request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), issues regulations to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to implementation of the Lower Columbia River Dredged Material Management Plan in Oregon and Washington over 5 years (2027-2032). These regulations, which allow for the issuance of a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the specified activities and timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as monitoring and reporting requirements.
NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Department of the Navy (including the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps (Navy)) and on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard; hereafter, Navy and Coast Guard are collectively referred to as Action Proponents) for Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) and three associated Letters of Authorization (LOAs) pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take of marine mammals incidental to training and testing activities conducted in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area over the course of seven years from November 2025 through November 2032. NMFS requests comments on this proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested ITR and issuance of the LOAs; agency responses to public comments will be summarized in the final rule, if issued. The Action Proponents' activities are considered military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (2004 NDAA).
NMFS has received a request from University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) for Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) and an associated Letter of Authorization (LOA) pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take of marine mammals over 5 years (2025-2030) incidental to the Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe) rocky intertidal monitoring surveys along the Oregon and California coasts. NMFS requests public comments on this proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested ITR and issuance of the LOA.
NMFS, upon request from the U.S. Navy (Navy), issues these regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to the training and testing activities conducted in the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing (HSTT) Study Area between 2018 and 2025. In 2021, two separate U.S. Navy vessels struck unidentified large whales on two separate occasions, one whale in June 2021 and one whale in July 2021, in waters off Southern California. The takes by vessel strike of the two whales by the U.S. Navy were covered by the existing regulations and Letters of Authorization (LOAs), which authorize the U.S. Navy to take up to three large whales by serious injury or mortality by vessel strike between 2018 and 2025. The Navy reanalyzed the potential of vessel strike in the HSTT Study Area, including the recent strikes, and as a result, requested two additional takes of large whales by serious injury or mortality by vessel strike for the remainder of the current regulatory period. In May 2023, a U.S. Navy vessel struck a large whale in waters off Southern California. NMFS reanalyzed the potential for vessel strike based on new information, including the three strikes, and authorizes two additional takes of large whales by serious injury or mortality by vessel strike for the remainder of the current regulatory period (two takes in addition to the three takes authorized in the current regulations). The Navy's activities qualify as military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (2004 NDAA).